Pewter City was not as impressive as Arden thought it would be. Not nearly. He was expecting sky scrapers and wide boulevards. Goldenrod had boulevards. Instead what he got was a dull little town.

"I just want to get to the gym and get out of here," Arden mumbled to Gimpy. "Now, where is the gym…?"

Arden wandered around a bit, frazzled, his squirtle occasionally offering advice that was completely incomprehensible to him. After a time, the boy came upon a grand museum. "Huh. Looks interesting," he said. Gimpy nodded. "Well… We could take a look around. I guess we've got time, and maybe there'll be someone in there I can ask for directions."

Cautiously, Arden made his way up the steps of the museum and through it's large, open doors. It was a dim, high-ceilinged building, he saw when he was inside. A security guard was seated at a desk to his right, just in front of the entrance. "Admission is 500 pokeyen," said the security guard not looking up from the magazine in front of him.

"What?" said Arden. "I have to pay to come in here?"

"Yup," said the guard, still not looking up. "500 pokeyen."

"But, why? What's in there?" asked Arden.

"Stuff. Does it matter?" said the guard, flipping the page of his magazine. "Oh, look at this… how to make cheap poffins at home. Huh…"

"So," said Arden. "Is there something exciting inside of here…?"

"Oh sure," said the guard in monotone. "Lots. It's just a regular hootenanny here."

Arden bit his lip. "Fine," he said, reaching into his pack. He placed some money on the counter. "There."

"Thank you," said the guard. "You can enter, now."

Giddily, Arden walked into the museum. It was empty and silent, save for the sound of the guard turning the pages of his magazine, and the low hum of the ceiling fans up ahead. Arden frowned and Gimpy sighed in his arms. He was expecting huge, colourful displays—maybe a diorama or two. Instead there were just a few glass cases. He walked up to one and looked inside. Fossils—old, rock-like fossils.

"Hey," he said slowly. "That guy tricked me! There isn't anything here but stupid rocks!"

The guard laughed. "Yeah, that's about it," he said. "Word to the wise, kid—don't spend money to get into a place that doesn't have a line out the door."

"Yeah, I'll remember that," said Arden, blushing hotly as he made his way out of the museum. He sighed when he was outside. "I really hate people, you know that, Gimpy? Jeez. I hate this place. I can't find the gym, and they have museums full of a whole lot of nothing that you have to pay to get inside."

"Squirt!" shouted Gimpy, pointing to a near by building.

"Huh?" Arden followed the gesture. "What's that—oh! How did I miss that! The gym? Let's go!"

He ran toward it, a little overexcited. And then he tripped on a stone and fell on his face, squishing Gimpy and twisting his own ankle. Arden groan and sat up slowly, grabbing a hold of his injured ankle. He looked down at Gimpy, laying stunned on the ground. "Sorry," he mumbled. The squirtle made no answer, but let a couple bubbles foam out of his mouth and slowly drift upward. Arden blinked. "What is that?"

"Squirtle?"

"That thing you just did?" said Arden. "Was that bubble? Do it again!"

Gimpy shrugged and shook his head. "Squirt."

"What, you can't do it? Or you won't do it?" asked Arden. "Come on!"

Before Gimpy could object, Arden snatched him up and squeezed him hard. "Do it again!"

Bubbles came out of Gimpy's mouth, much to Arden's delight. "Do you realize what this means, Gimp?" asked Arden, setting down the ruffled pokemon. "You've got a range attack now! You can battle and not be held back by that limp of yours! Isn't that great?"

"Squuuuirtle," said Gimpy, not seeming too enthused.

Arden stood up and, picking up the squirtle, started more carefully toward the gym. "Well," he muttered. "It really is a big building, isn't it…?"

He had to admit, he was quite intimidated by it. Shaking off the feeling, Arden stepped through the doors. He could see the gym leader at the back of the gym, waiting to take on challengers. Swallowing hard, Arden started toward him. Gym leaders had to be tough, of course and—well, Arden knew that he was up to the challenge, but he just didn't think his pokemon were…

"Hey!" said a boy coming forward. "You're about a billion light years away from facing Brock!"

"Light years—I… That doesn't even make sense," said Arden.

"We have to battle," said the boy. "Sandshrew—go!"

"Of course," sighed Arden. Always with the battles…

The boy released his pokemon from its ball and Arden stared at it. "Okay," he said, and then held Gimpy toward it. "Get 'em, Gimp. Bubble!"

"Squirt!" protested Gimpy. He couldn't attack.

"Oh, come on!" said Arden. He squeezed Gimpy until bubbles foamed out of his mouth. "You know how to do it, you big faker!"

Arden's opponent watched the scene, baffled. The bubbles floated slowly through the air, and the sandshrew watched them come nearer. One of the bubbles touched him and he recoiled. A few more hit him, and he fell to the ground, fainted. The boy recalled the fallen pokemon, and sent out another—a geodude—only to have it fainted in the same way.

"Light years isn't a measure of time—it's distance," said the boy, recalling his decommissioned pokemon.

"I know," said Arden. "That's, uh, why it makes no sense."

"You're pretty hot," said the boy. "But Brock's going to beat you!"

Arden raised an eyebrow. "Did you just call me hot…?"

"Squirtle!" interjected Gimpy, tugging on Arden's lapel and pointing to the gym leader. He was eager to be done with it.

"Right, right," said the trainer, starting toward Brock. "The gym leader. The badge… Oh man, can you imagine what we'll do with that badge, Gimpy? We'll… uh… We'll go on to Cerulean! That's right!"

Brock watched him. "My pokemon have rock hard will power," he began.

"Yeah, whatever," said Arden, cutting him short. "You're a rock type trainer. No need for long speeches and no need for puns. Can we just battle?"

Brock paused a moment. "Ah—yeah, I guess we can," he said. He looked at Gimpy. "Is that what you're going to use?"

"Yessir," replied Arden. "His name's Gimpy. I call him Gimp for short sometimes."

"That pokemon's deformed," said Brock, pointing to its leg.

"Yeah, I know," said Arden.

"…should it really be battling?"

"He's a plenty good battler!" said Arden, puffing up his chest. Gimpy puffed up his chest, as well.

"That's not what I asked," said Brock with a sigh. "Fine, if you want to battle me, we'll battle. But don't say I didn't warn you when you have to high tail it to the pokemon centre. Go, Geodude!"

"Go Gimpy!" said Arden as the geodude appeared from its pokeball. "Bubble!"

Gimpy tried, and managed to produce one single bubble, which floated toward the geodude and popped on its cheek. The opponent's pokemon winced slightly. Arden shook Gimpy. "That's not how you do it!" he said, squeezing Gimpy again. "Try harder!"

"Squirt!" said Gimpy, distressed. Arden squeezed hard and a steady stream of bubbles came shooting out of his mouth. The bubbles struck the geodude, fainting it. Without a word, Brock returned the pokemon to its ball and sent out his next pokemon. An onix. The giant, snake-like pokemon towered above them both and let out a cry. Arden shrank back as Gimpy trembled in his hands.

"Holy—," said Arden. "That thing is enormous!"

"It's not a thing," said Brock. "It's a pokemon."

"Fine, whatever," mumbled Arden. "Gimp—bubble it!"

Gimpy, now getting the hang of his own ability, managed to shoot out a few bubbles. They hit the massive onix, but seemed to have no effect. The onix reared up its massive body and then lurched toward them. Arden's eyes widened as the giant rock pokemon drew near. "Oh, crap!" he yelled and, not knowing what else to do, he hurled the still-bubbling Gimpy at Onix's face. Gimpy smacked against the pokemon's forehead with a loud clatter, momentarily stunning both of them. "Good work, Gimpy. Now get it while it's still down!"

Gimpy made no move.

"Uh, fine then. That's enough, Gimpy. Go, Brain Damage!"

He released the pidgey from its ball and it cooed gently and wagged its wings. "While he's stunned, Brain," said Arden. "Go get him while he's stunned! Gust!"

Brain Damage cooed and cocked its head at Arden. "Urg!" said Arden. "Flap your wings! Just flap your wings at him real hard!"

The pidgey cooed again and flapped his wings. Arden smacked himself in the forehead. "Not like that! Hard! Hard!" Gimpy sat up. "Fine, you know what, nevermind Brain. Gimpy, you're back in! Bubble!"

Arden held up his pokeball and Brain Damage withdrew to inside of it. Squaring his shoulders and planting his feet as firmly as his condition would allow, Gimpy fired the strongest blast of bubbles he'd managed yet. The bubbles hit the onix and, with a mighty roar, it collapsed, unconscious.

"We won?" asked Arden, surprised himself.

"You won," said Brock, returning onix to its pokeball. "And I'm required to bestow upon you the Boulder Badge. However… I don't think you deserve it."

"Wait, what?" asked Arden, picking up Gimpy and moving toward Brock to receive his badge.

"I don't think you deserve it," repeated Brock. "You don't love your pokemon. You yell and abuse it, and there is no trust or harmony in your relationship. You're young, and I hope it's something you grow out of. Anyway, here's your badge."

He held out the badge and Arden took it. "Uh… I guess, thanks," said Arden. He bit his lip and, having nothing more to say, turned to go. When he was outside, he scoffed at what the gym leader had told him. "No love… You feel plenty loved, right, Gimp?"

"Squuuirt," murmured the pokemon. Arden had no idea what that meant, so he took it as a 'yes' and left it at that.